A subsidiary of National Vision Inc., FirstSight Vision Services staffs optometrists in 160 Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club vision centers throughout California, providing eye care services that improve the health of loyal customers every day.

Situation Overview:

When FirstSight came to Northwood Advisors in September 2011, the company had been managing data with various trial-and-error processes and unscalable tools that lacked efficiency—a problem it knew would worsen as the company grew and opened new locations. The growing company needed an information management solution that offered its employees access to timely, accurate corporate data to better manage the business. FirstSight selected Northwood Advisors because of the firm’s ability to understand the underlying business challenges, and then design and deliver cost-effective solutions with tools that fit the company. Prior attempts to solve these problems with an assortment of ill-fitting software only served as temporary fixes.

Northwood Advisors recognized that FirstSight needed a solution to manage all its corporate data across three dimensions: financial data, communication and collaboration with doctors throughout California, and master data management of other key corporate information.

Northwood Solutions:

First, Northwood identified the need for a robust financial data management and corporate performance management solution. With guidance from Northwood, FirstSight selected IBM Cognos Express, which was successfully implemented by a Northwood-recommended partner.

Next, Northwood Advisors architected a web portal solution to meet both the collaboration and master data management requirements. Northwood helped FirstSight evaluate a number of packaged and custom solutions to deliver the portal, and, in the end, FirstSight engaged Northwood to build the portal using the DotNetNuke (DNN) platform. Northwood created a secure corporate Web portal in DNN where authorized users can access quality assurance information, doctor and store information, and a document library. The portal went live in September 2012 and is designed to continue expanding with useful new information and ideas.

Northwood Advisors determined that FirstSight needed a flexible solution that could grow and evolve alongside the business, expanding to meet emerging needs. For example, a recent outsourcing partner needed FirstSight to provide a complete equipment inventory that spanned all 160 offices. Instead of managing a survey of each office via email requests and responses, the portal that Northwood had created allowed rapid deployment of a web form that each district manager could simply update online. That information is captured in the DNN database and can be managed and shared online. Now all critical store information is housed in a secure, searchable database and is accessible from anywhere and on any device. Northwood’s cloud-based solution did not require FirstSight to purchase any new hardware or infrastructure.

Outcomes:

FirstSight has gained multiple layers of efficiency from the portal launch, including:

Corporate employees are able to access up-to-date data on their doctors and locations without having to manage their own lists or data sets.

Employees at each location are able to sign on to access the vital documents and websites they use on a daily basis.

The field team of district managers and doctors are able to access up-to-date data on the credentialing and contract status of the company’s doctor panel to help staff offices.

FirstSight is able to maintain compliance with its contracts with Wal-Mart as well as various federal and state healthcare regulations and physician licensing. FirstSight is able to produce reports from portal database to share with vendors, managed care companies and various business partners.

Training documents can be uploaded to the library and users can attest to completing training electronically, thus eliminating the need to fax in a signed attestation for company records.

FirstSight has a comprehensive, centralized collaboration solution that saves them money by increasing the productivity and effectiveness of employees in every location and business environment.

Next Steps:

FirstSight Vision Services is focused on continuing to make things easier for its operations staff, including doctors and managers, with new systems that are helping to improve collaboration and communication and make resources available in the field. It recently added a news page and banner addition to the portal as well as created a Facility Review module to facilitate annual office reviews—a process its director of quality assurance used to manage by hand. Northwood is currently working on the delivery of sales reports in the portal, so doctors can view their performance and have ready visibility of their progress toward established targets.

Based in Irvine, Calif., Northwood Advisors is a business intelligence consulting and training firm that helps companies design and implement BI strategy for increased efficiency and greater ROI. Northwood Advisors’ powerful on-site training and consulting program allows clients to create departmental alignment and mutual buy-in with key stakeholders of any business intelligence initiative to build a path of least resistance and most profitability. Northwood Advisors’ training is unique, focused and implementable and will equip any team with the practical knowledge and tools for effective and sustainable business intelligence strategy, governance and roadmap.

ABOUT NORTHWOOD ADVISORS: Based in Irvine, Calif., Northwood Advisors is a business intelligence and decision systems advisory firm that helps companies design and implement BI strategy, roadmap, governance and best practices for increased efficiency and greater ROI. Northwood Advisors’ powerful on-site training and consulting program allows clients to create departmental alignment and mutual buy-in with key stakeholders of any business intelligence initiative to build a path of least resistance and most profitability. Northwood Advisors’ training is unique, focused and implementable and will equip any team with the practical knowledge and tools for effective and sustainable business intelligence strategy, governance and roadmap. For more information, visit www.northwoodadvisors.com.